Sarah Palin and Fox News Debut

Sarah Palin made her debut on Fox News last night, January 12th at 8PM on the Bill O’Reilly show. On Fox, she will be preaching to the choir. I predict she won’t last. It will be another Sarah quits or Fox will give her the boot and here is why. First of all, the Moon is waning in Sagittarius. I have said it before and will no doubt say it again, if you want something to dissipate, begin when the Moon is on the wane. The Moon was just about to make an exact, friendly aspect to Jupiter before going void of course. Jupiter brings great big abundance of things and lots of confidence, over confidence even. Tied to the Moon (Moon=people/public) like this it says that Sarah’s first night on Fox brings huge numbers of viewers. She probably broke records. It also says she’ll burn hot and fast and then burn out. In addition, Mercury is retrograde which speaks to misinformation and things not turning out as expected. Sarah will put her personal spin on things which the fact checkers will have a field day with. Mars is retrograde also. Mars is the action planet. In retrograde motion it does not have the sizzle and pop it does when direct. It is good for well thought out strategy. Sarah Palin, with Sun, Mars and Saturn conjunct in Aquarius is quite capable of careful planning but with Mercury conjunct Moon and Venus and Jupiter in Aries she is a creature of impulse. That retrograde Mars in Leo is almost exactly trine her Aries Jupiter, a trine is a 120 degree aspect which brings favorable conditions. That Mars is going to come back to this position on May 10, 2010. She will probably last until then and maybe a bit further into the summer. You heard it here first.

Haiti and the Lunar Eclipse Connection

The Lunar Eclipse on December 31st occurred at 10 degrees 14 minutes along the Cancer/Capricorn axis, with the Sun in Capricorn and the Moon in Cancer. Because the Moon was at perigee, i.e. at its closest point to the earth, it was called a super Moon (see December 30th entry) and earthquakes and volcanic eruptions often occur during the time frame of the lunation cycle they occur in. We are still in that time frame and will be until the New Moon of the 15th. (Or longer, depending on your opinion as to how long we feel the effects of an eclipse) There was a huge earthquake in Haiti on the 12th of January. Haiti received its independence from France through the Act of Independence which was signed on January 1, 1804. (Thanks to Nicholas Campion’s excellent book, The Book of World Horoscopes) This chart, for the birth of a nation has the Sun at 10 degrees of Capricorn. For Haiti, the Lunar Eclipse was a direct hit. For the Cancers and Capricorns among us, the earthquake occurs on an emotional and/or material level. The ground shaking beneath their feet may be due to a loss of job or standing in the community or whatever makes them feel secure. It can be scary and forces change either internally or externally. These types of coincidences between astronomical events and personal horoscopes are what intrigues the Astrologer and sends him/her digging through their charts for more incidents of serendipity. We usually find them.

January 2010, New Moon Solar Eclipse and Other Fun Stuff

January kicks off this tumultuous year with a variety of shifts and changes not the least of which is a Solar Eclipse on January 15th (visible in Africa, India and Southeast Asia). A few days before the Solar Eclipse (New Moon), Saturn changes direction moving from retrograde to direct. A few hours after the New Moon, Mercury goes direct. On the 17th Jupiter enters Pisces, on the 18th Venus moves into Aquarius and the Sun follows Venus into Aquarius on the 19th. And let’s not forget the real biggie, Saturn square Pluto on the 31st. In the span of a few days we have a lot of planetary action going on. When they write the history books, January 2010 will be a stand out. The energy of Saturn and Capricorn is strong through this period as Saturn is changing direction and the New Moon Solar Eclipse is in Capricorn. When a planet changes direction the energy of that planet is strong. The Capricorn New Moon, ruled by Saturn, intensifies that energy. That energy, in this instance, says you’re going to have to work for it, whatever “it” is. Saturn/Capricorn generates a lack or need, extremes of weather and a tendency toward conservatism, as in conserve your energy and resources. We usually get a sense of it in the time period leading up to the event. With Saturn changing direction, the coldness across the nation and the threat to the Florida citrus crop is the physical manifestation of that direction change and the cluster of planets in Capricorn at this time. We will pay dearly for our fruits and vegetables in the coming months. The New Moon places emphasis on such things as transportation, communication, neighborhood and neighboring nations. Mercury is standing still at this New Moon, preparing to change direction, the Mercurial energy is strong. Confusion reigns when communication and public transportation breaks down. False accusations, phony news and television reports rule the day. Rumor runs wild on the web it goes viral. Don’t believe it until you check it out thoroughly. A Saturn ruled eclipse brings about political and governmental changes. A normal New Moon covers a period of a couple of weeks, there is some debate about the duration of influence of a Solar Eclipse, some claim that the degree of the eclipse remains “hot” for quite some time. In the future, when planets transit that degree, events occur related to the events around the time of the eclipse. In my experience this has proven to be true. This Solar Eclipse could very well topple governments. The mighty shall fall and persons of worth may suffer misfortunes that they don’t really deserve. Mercury strong now emphasizes public opinion and the youth. My money is still riding on the young, although we will have those misguided ones who set fire to their crotch in an effort to change the world. The Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in Aries (see 2010 blog) is about youthful revolution. It is about the new, the innovative and inventive. The idea that if you slaughter enough people sooner or later the world will come around to your point of view is an old one. This revolution is not about that. Not that we won’t see some explosive events involving young males from the 16 to 25 year age group. We will, but we will also see some startling breakthroughs and advances as a result of youthful initiative, male and female. On Sunday the 17th Jupiter returns to his home base, Pisces. He stays in Pisces until June, when he enters Aries. Jupiter summers in Aries then returns to Pisces in September. Jupiter brings abundance. Pisces can be very spiritual and intuitive. Pisces can take to the drink and the drug just as easily. Throw big time Jupiter in to the equation and you get a picture of where things can go. The Pisces individual is very sensitive to the environment they find themselves in. So Pisces, Jupiter can bring great gifts and opportunities, don’t blow it. On Monday, the 17th, Venus enters Aquarius. The Aquarians will all be popular and receive lots of invitations to socialize. In general, Venus in Aquarius sparks our interest in unconventional and odd relationships. We favor talking over touching, friendship over romance. It is not that romance is not possible; but romance begun now, begins as friendship and if it doesn’t last, it ends as friendship. The following day the Sun move into Aquarius further enhancing friendships, alliances and group activities that further humanitarian causes. At month end, Pluto and Saturn square off and we can expect some more terrorist activities, covert actions, and power struggles. This is the second square in a series of 3, the first of which occurred on November 15, 2009, (see November 15th post for more info). The decision to hold the trials of the perpetrators of the Twin Towers disaster was made at that time so they should hit the news cycle at month end. This Saturn /Pluto combination has a lot to do with CIA types of activities, secret and deadly. Every time Bush needed a boost in his ratings, some terrorist activity would surface and Saturn and Pluto were dancing to that tune. The world can be a dangerous place but don’t believe everything you hear. Learn to read between the lines and look beyond the obvious. On a personal level these planetary alignments can rock your world. Patience; all will be revealed and resolved in the fullness of time.

2010 beats 2012 by a Country Mile

2010 is not going to be an ordinary year. A combination of planetary cycles coincide, meet, part and meet again throughout the year. What makes these particular meetings so important is that they involve the Cardinal Points, i.e. the Solstice and Equinox points. The big deal about December 21, 2012 (which I am sick of hearing about, by the way) has got to do with the Solstice occurring near the Galactic Center. This date is the end of a long cycle in the Mayan calendar, called the Long Count. It is also called the Galactic Alignment. The alignment of the Solstice with the Galactic Center is a result of the precession of the Equinoxes (Yes Virginia, Astrologers know about the precession of the Equinoxes). It actually occurred in 1998. The span of influence is +/- 18 years, from 1980 to 2016. So you can relax, the world is not going to end and you’ll still have to get your ass up, shovel the walk and go to work. This alignment is more about spiritual alignment and raised awareness. Not that we won’t have earthquakes, volcanic action and huge storms, we will, but we always do. The difference is the awareness, the awareness of how much humans are doing to the environment and how little governments and big business are doing to correct the situation. The world will be a different place in 2016 than it was in 1980. But the changes will be more in the attitudes and value systems. It is not earthquakes and tsunamis in the physical world that will disrupt the world order, it is the social, economic, cultural and political arenas that will turn the world upside down. And 2010 is the year. First we’ve got the series of 5 Saturn/Uranus oppositions the first of which occurred on Election Day in 2008. The first four occur along the Pisces/Virgo axis, with the fourth on April 26, 2010, but the final opposition on July 26, 2010 occurs at the Cardinal Points of Aries/Libra. Saturn, the timekeeper of the universe, will make the second and third square aspect to Pluto on January 31st and August 21st in 2010 respectively. In late May, the 27th to be exact, Uranus pops his little head into Aries. You’ll feel the shift around that time, if you don’t, just watch the news, you’ll get the picture. This move into Aries sets Uranus in square aspect to Saturn and Pluto. Fun and games are over, boys and girls. Square and oppositions are tough aspects, they make things happen and stir things up. These three were in this kind of configuration in the early 1930’s and the mid 1960’s. I think it was Harry Truman who said, “The only thing new in this world is the history we don’t know.” Astrology is the study of cycles and we look to the past to try and figure out what the future will bring. I’ll let you do your own historical research to get an idea of the energies that are being reactivated this year. But that ain’t all folks. Jupiter, who has been running hand in hand with that old illusionist Neptune, in Aquarius for all of 2009, now slips into Pisces on January 17, 2010. At home here and strong, he’s moving fast. On June 6, 2010 he sticks his nose into Aries, where he joins the Saturn/Pluto/Uranus party. Jupiter is considered a benefic or good old guy; ostensibly what he brings to the table is favorable, in reality, its lots of, abundance of, and depending on who he’s hanging with at the time determines the good and bad of it. On the 8th of June Jupiter conjuncts Uranus and then moves on into square aspect with Pluto. The squares are exact on July 25th and August 3rd. On June 26th there is a Lunar Eclipse in the early degrees of the Cardinal signs of Cancer/Capricorn that all the outer planet transits tie into. This is going to be one of those long hot summers; it’s not necessarily the weather I’m referring to. Pay attention to the events unfolding from April through August, actually, you won’t be able to avoid it. Just before the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2010 there is a Total Eclipse of the Moon at 29 degrees Gemini with the Sun at 29 degrees Sagittarius right along the old Galactic Center. At this time, Saturn is hip deep into Libra, negotiating treaties, union contracts etc., at his best. Peace and reconciliation are still possible. Now Jupiter and Uranus, after lighting the fire in Aries, ran for cover back into Pisces to ride out the year, performing Buddhist chants and contemplating their navels. At this time they are snuggling up together, looking for a breakthrough, medical or spiritual. Pluto is left to guard the gates of this Cardinal crash or crescendo. The master of transformation will hold it together, or tear it apart and build it anew. This year will be a year of anger and threats of violence. People are pissed and may take to the streets in protests. Not Americans though, if they can’t drive to it, they ain’t going. That is the key, if the Americans get off their fat asses and march in the streets that will tip the balance in favor of change. I’m not talking about industry backed protests or PR promoted public opinion. I’m talking real reaction, gut feelings and emotions driving the actions of the people. An environmental issue that unites, or more revelation about the incestuous relationship between big business, big banks and big government will act as a trigger, it will be a global issue that is too big to ignore. Keep your eye on the young; the youth of all nations will be the impetus and the driving force behind the changes to come. Their ideas, inventions and actions will lead the way. The baby boomers, the Grandmas and Grandpas, who started it all, way back when, will see themselves as they were and unite with the youth movement and we’ll see some real change. It will probably take the next decade, but hope springs eternal. Keep an eye on the dates mentioned, the time period leading up to and past those dates. The planets involved are slow movers and events begin to occur as they move closer to exact aspect with one another. Note what is happening in your personal life around these dates as well. We all have every sign of the Zodiac somewhere in our chart and those areas of life will be activated. With slow moving planets, trust me, you’ll know.

Aquarian Rant to the Providence Journal

I know I said the next post would be about 2010 but my Aquarian planets took over. Sun, Moon, Mercury, I can't help it. This is the Aquarian Rant I sent today, January 7, 2010 to the Providence Journal Letter’s to the Editor Department. If they print it, I doubt that they will print it in its entirety as it exceeds their preferred limit of 250 words or they won’t print it at all because I tend to foam at the mouth a bit. Here it is:

I am disgusted and dismayed to see the way the United States Senate has created a health care reform bill that is a gift to the insurance industry. It should come as no surprise that Democratic Senators are retiring after their current term is up; they know they’re going to get slaughtered at the polls when the truth of this gets out. Consider a few basic differences between the House and Senate bills. To pay for it the House bill proposes to increase Income tax on individuals earning over $500 thousand and couples earning over $ 1 million. This would raise $460 billion over the next ten years. The Senate bill proposes a tax on so-called “Cadillac Health Plans” those that cost over $8500 for individual coverage and $23,000 for couples. This plan raises $150 billion. How much does your health plan cost you or your company? Do the math and you will see that this places a tax burden on most working people and raises less than half the cash that the House version does. Another item in the Senate’s health care bill is the fact that it does not take away the special exemption the insurance companies enjoy from the anti-trust laws. These laws were enacted to prevent price gouging and monopolies. With this exemption, they can charge whatever they want, which is basically what they’ve been doing. This little gift the insurance companies have had since 1945. Think of it, 1945. Administrations, political majorities have come and gone since then. So it seems to me that the American people need to get over their partisan politics and look at the facts. Don’t just buy into it because your good little Republican or Democrat says so. Both the House and Senate bills require that most Americans buy health insurance. Without the public option and even with the subsidies provided this places a financial burden on families, some would have to pay up to 20% of their income. The House bill has the public option, which brings absolutely no benefit to the insurance industry. What it does do is force competition, lower costs and brings greater choice to those people who will now be forced to buy health insurance. This is why the insurance industry fears it so much and why they have spent so much money fighting it. It is very hard for the American people to get the real facts, the talking heads and industry mouth pieces cloud the issues, create fear and spout misleading information. And the failed media print and otherwise play into the drama leaving the truth on the cutting room floor. The American people deserve better and they should demand better, from the media and their elected officials. We need the facts, clear and concise. I don’t think we are going to get it. What we will get is a health care reform bill that will send the health industry and Big Pharma stocks sky high. Only in America.

Lincoln Chafee Confirms

Today, Lincoln Chafee confirmed that he was running for Governor. I like Lincoln Chafee because he had the guts to take a stand on a principle. He voted against the Iraq War. I don’t think that cost him his seat in the Senate, I think being a Republican at a time when people were fed up with Republican leadership did him in. I wish he had picked a more fortuitous time to confirm his candidacy. Chafee has chosen a time when the Moon is waning. If you want something to shrink and go away, begin when the Moon is waning. Frank Caprio launched his 100K per month ad campaign when the Moon was waning in Leo. Now Leo is the show biz sign but if you want to have a show biz flop, pick an opening date when the Moon is on the wane and in Leo. I blogged at the time that it would go nowhere and it didn’t and it is probably just as well because I thought the ads made him look like a thug. Back to Chafee and his announcement. Moon is waning in Virgo. In Mundane Astrology, the astrology of events, the Moon represents the people. In Virgo, the inference is that the people are going analyze, criticize, and parse every word, speech, and proposal he makes. The event chart set for 9:30 AM in Warwick, when the meeting started, has Jupiter on the Ascendant, which means that Jupiter was rising or coming up over the horizon at the time. (You can’t see it, its daytime) Now Jupiter is great to have there, as it is an important point in a chart and is the house of the people and Jupiter is like the jovial Uncle who arrives with plenty of pizza, pretzels and beer. Mercury and Mars are both retrograde at this time. Chafee, born with Mercury Retrograde in Pisces does not suffer the same problems that those of us born with direct Mercury do, like missed appointments, missed messages and the like. This time period suits him. Those born with Mercury Retrograde, mull things over before making any pronouncements. He knows where he stands and what he is going to say before he opens his mouth. No adlibbing here. Mars Retrograde speaks to strategic movements. Mars is all about action, in retrograde motion; it is not a head long rush, but carefully planned movements. As stated previously, the big problem is the waning Moon. We don’t know when he actually came to the decision but the fact that the formal announcement came at this time points to how the public will react to his candidacy. There is a lot of Capricorn in this chart and technical analysis reveals that Saturn is the big dog. What this means in plain old English, Lincoln has got his work cut out for him. He’s got to do his homework, dot the I’s and cross the T’s. There will be no shortcuts for him. I do think that there is a lot of support for him in the General Assembly but I doubt if any of those jokers will come out publically and say so. The people of Rhode Island are not really excited about any of the proposed candidates for Governor. They all have their supporters but none of them seem to generate any excitement. 2010 is going to be one of those years that fit the Chinese Proverb, “May you live in interesting times.” So the people’s lack of interest or excitement could very well change. Stay tuned, next post about 2010.

What the heck is Moon Void of Course?

During the lunar month, the Moon passes through all twelve signs of the zodiac. As it moves through each sign, at some point during that period it makes its last major aspect before leaving that sign and entering the next. When this happens the Moon is said to be “Void of Course” until it enters the next sign. These void of course periods can last for a few minutes, a few hours or even a day or two. The void of course periods are much like Mercury retrograde periods in that it is not wise to sign contracts, begin new projects or make important decisions. Plans go awry, false starts, and faulty judgments rule while Moon is void of course. Presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry received their nominations while Moon was void of course, as did Thomas Dewey, Richard Nixon (1960), Goldwater and McGovern. This is the time to recharge, renew and find your spiritual center. Kick back, meditate and observe. Moon goes void today, January 3rd at 4:55 PM until it enters Virgo at 9:52 PM. Going forward void periods will be noted in the Moon sign accounts. (See sidebar) As we go through our daily life events occur and decisions have to be made at times that are not the most opportune from an astrological view point, but actions have to be taken. During the Moon void of course periods try to maintain a non attachment to the material and stick to the higher more spiritual path. Don’t get “invested” in the outcome, because the outcome is not going to be what is expected.